Brothers
by WinchesterGrl09
Summary: Aang is depressed causing everyone to worry about him. When Zuko is picked to go talk to him he will realize just how similar they are. Will Aang realize that what hes been wanting is in front of him? Will Zuko? Aang/Zuko Brotherly bonding. NO SLASH.


This is my first Avatar story. I've been watching the show since the beginning and have just recently decided to start writing in the Avatar fandom. This is a one shot I thought up. Through out the series we learn about Sokka and Katara's family, Toph's family and Zuko's family but we never learn about Aang's family. So I decided to make my own history for him. I guess this could be considered slightly AU but I'll try to keep it within reason though the characters might be a little OOC. This is mostly a Aang/Zuko friendship piece. This is not in anyway slash. I hope you all like this. Please Read and Review.

* * *

" There's something wrong with Aang." Katara said quietly to the rest of the group.

Sokka, Toph, Suki, Katara and Zuko were sitting around the fire eating dinner. Aang had declined dinner, claiming that he wasn't hungry. It had been the second day he had gone without eating and everyone was worried about him, even Zuko.

" He's never been like this before?" Zuko asked, looking towards the cliffs, where he knew the topic of there conversation was at.

Sokka shook his head. " No. He's gotten upset, angry but we've never seen him this depressed before."

" Not even after he found out what happened at the Southern Air Temple." Katara added, referring to when Aang discovered exactly what had happened to his people, more specifically his former mentor, Monk Gyatso.

" What happened?" Suki asked, curious to know what had happened.

" Aang wanted to go see his old home, the Southern Air Temple. So we agreed, when we arrived the whole place was deserted, nothing was living there. Some how Aang discovered the skeleton of his mentor, Monk Gyatso." Katara explained quietly. " He was surrounded by Fire Nation soldiers. He got so angry that he triggered the Avatar State. I was able to calm him down before he did any serious damage. That was when he realized he really was the last airbender."

" Didn't Aang know what had happened to his people before that?" Toph asked

Sokka nodded, even though she couldn't see it, " Yeah he did. I just don't think he expected to see the damage they actually caused back then."

" You think that's why he is so depressed?" Zuko asked.

" I don't know why it would be." answered Katara. " He got angry after he discovered what had happened but he didn't get depressed about it. Besides he found out about it over a year ago anyway."

" Maybe one of us should go talk to him?" Suki suggested. " He probably needs someone to talk to."

" I vote for Katara to be the one to go talk to him." Sokka said.

" I don't think it should be. Something tells me that it should be Zuko who goes and talks to him." Katara looked at him. " I think that whatever is upsetting Aang you would be able to help him the most out of all of us."

Zuko looked shocked, " That's not true. You have known him the longer then I have. You understand him better then I do. If I were to go and talk to him then he would probably close up and not say anything to me. If you go Katara, he would open up to you, actually talk to you."

" Just go and figure out what is wrong with Twinkletoes." Toph interrupted before an argument broke out.

Zuko sighed in defeat. " Fine." he stood up and made his way out of the camp and towards the cliffs that Aang had walked towards earlier.

* * *

Aang was sitting against a large rock that jutted out of the earth. He was staring out at the ocean that spread out in front of him. He heard footsteps coming up the path and vaguely wondered who had been elected to come and talk to him. He saw out of his peripheral vision that, to his surprise, it was Zuko who was walking up the path. Aang ignored him and turned his attention back to the ocean.

" Hey." the older teen said, he sat himself down next to Aang.

Aang gazed at him for a moment before turning back towards the ocean.

" Hey Zuko." Aang said quietly. " You guys done talking about me?"

Zuko had the grace to look embarrassed.

" I'm sorry. We shouldn't have talked about without you there. It's just everyone is worried about you Aang. You haven't eaten in two days and if the dark circles under your eyes are any indication, you haven't slept in two days either." Zuko explained. " You want to tell me what's wrong with you?"

Aang shook his head, " No. Not really. You wouldn't understand anyway."

" Try me Aang. I just want to help." Zuko was nearly begging. " Please."

" Family."

" Family?" Zuko asked, looking at him questioningly.

" Yeah. Everyone knows about your family. Your father and sister are crazy and your mother disappeared. Sokka and Katara's father left to go fight in the war and their mother was killed in a Fire Nation raid. Toph's parents are over protective and have tried to have her captured and taken home. Suki's father lives on Kyoshi Island and her mother was killed in a Fire Nation raid to. But no one has ever asked about my family."

Aang pulled his knees to his chest and rested his chin on them.

Zuko stared at him in shock. He really couldn't believe they had made such a mistake. He couldn't believe that Sokka and Katara had made such a huge mistake. Those two had known him for little over a year and they had never bothered to ask him about his family.

" Why don't Katara and Sokka know anything about your family?" Zuko asked.

Aang shrugged, " They never asked. All I've ever told them is I was raised by monks." Aang turned his full attention to Zuko. " I don't like to think about what happened. It hurts to much."

Zuko hesitated for a moment before he placed a hand on the younger boys shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

" You don't have to tell me Aang." Zuko told him gently. " If its to difficult for you I'm not going to force you to tell me. I'll go back to camp and tell Katara that you just need some time alone."

Zuko waited a couple of minutes but Aang remained silent and continued staring out at the water. Zuko gaze a small sigh and stood up.

" I'll see you back at camp." Zuko said quietly.

He made it about ten feet before Aang called out his name." Zuko, wait."

Zuko turned around and looked back at Aang. " Yes?"

Aang looked at him, his eyes wide and shinning with unshed tears.

" I would like to tell you what happened."

Zuko walked back over to him and sat back down. " I would like to hear about it."

They sat in silence for a while, Zuko waiting patiently for Aang to start telling his story. They stayed like that for another fifteen minutes before Aang started talking

" I was three years old when it happened. My mother and father traveled around the world and I always went with them. The monks and my parents already knew that I was the Avatar but they never treated me any different. They just loved me for who I was not what I was." Aang told him. " Neither of my parents were master airbenders, they were both were still training. My father had the best sense of humor. Sokka reminds me of him sometimes, only he knew when it was appropriate to be funny."

Zuko could sense that there was more Aang wanted to say about his father but decided not to push him.

" What about your mother?" Zuko asked.

" Her name was Aria. She was beautiful. I remember she had the most beautiful grey eyes, they always sparkled with happiness and the minute she walked into a room she just drew everyone to her. Her hair was dark brown and it fell in waves down her back. I was always told that I had her eyes." Aang told him.

" My father wasn't with us when it happened. He was at the Southern Air Temple. My mother and I were visiting a friend of hers that lived in a town in the eastern part of the Fire Nation."

_Flashback_

_Aria walked down the street, looking at the various vendors selling their goods. It was late morning and the streets were filled with people doing their daily shopping. She was looking through the various trinkets one of the vendors was selling, seeing something she knew her young son would absolutely love._

_" Aang do you like this?" Aria asked, looking down where her son should be. He wasn't there. " Aang? Aang where are you."_

_She heard her sons familiar laugh and followed it. She sighed with relief when she saw her young son standing next to a fruit vendor. She rushed over to him and pulled him into a strong hug._

_" Aang you don't go anywhere with out me. Something could have happened to you. Promise me you won't do that again." said Aria, still holding Aang in a strong hug. _

_Aang nodded, " I promise mommy. I won't run off like that again."_

_" Thank you." Aria stood up. " I'm sorry if my son was bothering you."_

_The vendor shook his head. " It was no problem ma'am. You have a very well behaved son." _

_He grabbed a small bunch of grapes and handed them to Aang. Aria reached into her satchel to pay for them but the vendor declined._

_" No need to pay. It's free." he told her._

_Aria gave a respectful bow and took a hold of Aang's hand and pulled him along. They walked away from the hustle and bustle of late morning shoppers and walked through more quiet streets. _

_" Aang I bought something for you from one of the vendors." Aria smiled down at her son._

_Aang looked up at her with a large grin. " You did? What did you get?"_

_Aria just grinned. " You'll just have to wait until we get back to the Air Temple to find out."_

_Aang scrunched up his face in thought before he nodded okay. Aria laughed at her sons antics. _

_They were walking when, Aria felt like she and her son were being watched. She turned her head slightly and saw figures moving behind her and to the sides of her. She led Aang, who was eating his grapes, down a side street. She heard footsteps behind her. She hurried along and took as many twists and turns as she could. She turned right again and saw that she had hit a dead end. She saw a pile of crates near the end of the alleyway. _

_Aang seemed to sense his mothers urgency. _

_" Mommy what's wrong?" Aang asked. _

_Aria didn't answer, just pushed him behind the stacked up crates. She bent down so they were both eye-level._

_" Mommy what's wrong?" Aang asked again._

_" Aang I want you to listen to me very carefully. No matter what happens and no matter what you see I want you to stay behind these crates." Aria whispered urgently. " Always remember that I love you. Can you do that for me?"_

_Aang nodded his head urgently, " I promise mommy. I will always love you."_

_Aria pulled her son into a hug and gave him a kiss on the head, " And I will always love you too baby."_

_Aria stood up and turned around to face the now blocked off entrance of the alley. Six men stood at the entrance, blocking it off._

_" Well look at what we have hear boys." the leader called out. " What's a girl like you doing all the way out hear all alone?"_

_Aria got into a fighting stance, " That is none of your business. Go find someone else to bother?"_

_" Look at this, the little girl wants to fight." the leader also got into a fighting stance, fire springing up in his hands. The five men standing behind him also ignited there hands. _

_Aria made a large sweeping motion with her hands and sent all six attackers flying nearly ten feet into a building across the road. _

_" You don't want to mess with me." she told them._

_All six men stood up, their hands filled with fire. The leader stepped out in front of them the other five fanning out behind him, effectively blocking off the only exit._

_" Kill her." he commanded._

_End Flashback_

" I didn't watch what happened to her." Aang explained. " I was too scared. I could hear the fighting from where I was hiding. I peaked over once. I saw her take down three of the fire benders then a fireball crashed over my head and I ducked."

Zuko had listened to the story shocked that something so terrible could have happened to his friend. He just couldn't understand how Aang didn't hate all firebenders, more then that, the Fire Nation itself.

" They killed her." said Zuko. " Didn't they?"

Aang nodded silently, tears falling down his face.

" I'm sorry." whispered Zuko.

" That wasn't the end of it." Aang said, his voice was barely above a whisper.

_Flashback_

" _Let's go. She'll be dead in a few minutes anyway."_

_Aang heard the sound of people running away. When he was sure they were gone he ran out from behind the crates. He saw a figure lying in the middle of the alleyway. _

" _MOMMY!" Aang shouted and ran towards the fallen form of his mother._

_Aria was laying on her sighed, her clothes burned and singed. Her satchel was laying a few feet from her body. _

_Aang dropped onto his knees and shook her gently on the shoulder. _

" _Mommy. Wake up. Come on, you have to wake up." Aang pleaded. He continued shaking her shoulder. A soft voice startled him._

" _Aang." Aria whispered, her voice laced with pain._

_Aang gave her a watery smile, " Mommy you have to get up."_

_Aria lifted her hand and wrapped it around Aang's small one. " Aang, baby, I'm not going to make it. I'm sorry that I won't be able to watch you grow up and become the amazing man you are destined to be. Always remember that I love you and tell your father that I love him and will always be watching over the both of you."_

_Aria placed a gentle kiss on Aang's forehead and Aang placed a gentle kiss on her check and watched as her eyes closed and she took her last breaths. He still didn't understand what was happening and tried to get her to open her eyes again._

_She never did._

_The sound of running footsteps coming in his direction caused him to look up fearfully._

_Four figures stopped at the entrance of the of the alley. One of the figures stepped forward slowly. He realized it was a woman. The other three people followed behind her._

_He looked up at her. " My mommy won't wake up. Please wake her up."_

_End Flashback_

In an uncharacteristic display of affection Zuko pulled Aang into a tight embrace and allowed the younger boy to release his pent up emotions into his shirt. He rubbed his hand up and down Aang's back, much like his own mother had when he was little.

" I'm sorry you had to go through that Aang. I can't imagine what it is like to be there when your mother dies." Zuko whispered, remembering how he felt when his own mother had left.

Aang pulled away and wiped the last few stray tears from his face. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment. " Sorry Zuko."

" You have nothing to be sorry for Aang. Sometimes you just have to let go." he squeezed Aang's shoulder before asking, " What happened after that?"

" They turned out to be Fire Nation authorities. I was taken to there headquarters. They questioned me on everything I had seen and heard. Since they didn't know what to do with me I was allowed to stay there until my father arrived. They sent a messenger hawk to him and he and some of the monks arrived nearly two weeks later." said Aang, tears once again threatening to over power him. "When they finally arrived, I knew something was different. My father barely spent anytime with me. Looking back now, I know he was depressed and grieving at the loss of his wife. The authorities set us up in a small inn. All but my father and two out of the six monks that had arrived left the next day with my mothers body so it could be taken and buried at the Air Temple."

" Something happened that day didn't it." It wasn't a question and Aang knew that.

"They were in the main room and I was in the bedroom, trying to fall asleep but I heard the arguing and wanted to know what was going on. I could hear my name being said through the walls and knew they were talking about me."

_Flashback_

" _Haru, Aang is your son you just can't leave him after what he has just been through." one of the monks said, Aang wasn't sure which one. " You heard what they said, he has barely said anything since they first questioned him two weeks ago."_

_Aang wondered why his daddy would leave him. They were all each other had left and he didn't wan to loose his daddy so soon after his mommy went away. _

" _You think I don't know that. Every time I look at Aang I see Aria. I see the woman I loved and lost and I can't stand to look at him. Aang is so much like Aria that it hurts to be near him." Haru yelled. _

_Aang jumped back away from the door. His daddy didn't want to be near him. Did that mean that he didn't love him anymore._

" _Does this mean you want us to take Aang back to the temple with us?" the same monk from before asked._

" _Yes. He may be my son but if he hadn't been with Aria she would have been able to get away. It's his fault that my wife is dead." _

_Aang stared at the door in horror, tears started to stream down his face. His daddy did hate him. He had said that it was his fault his mommy was dead. His daddy was right if he hadn't been with his mommy, she would have been able to get away._

_He ran to his bed and dived under it and pulled out the satchel that had belonged to his mother. He stuffed in an extra pair of pants and tunic and the small wrapped package that his mommy was going to him when they returned to the temple._

_He went to the open window and jumped the two stories to the ground. He used his bending to soften his landing but still ended up flat on his butt. He didn't waste anytime before he took off down the street at dead run and didn't look back. If they no longer wanted him then he didn't want to be near them. _

_End Flashback_

" I was on my own for two years, until I was five. I moved around everywhere and survived by stealing what I had to." said Aang quietly. " I moved through the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom. I never stayed in one place for too long. I didn't want to get caught and sent back to the Air Temple. I didn't want to face everyone telling me I was the reason my mother was dead."

" Aang it wasn't your fault she died." Zuko told him. " She died protecting you. She fought those men so you would have a chance to live. She wouldn't have blamed you for what happened to her, then or now. You were only three years old, what could you have done. If you had gone out and tried to face those men, they would have killed you."

Aang stood up and started pacing angrily in front of Zuko.

" It doesn't matter. She was my mother and I should have been able to do something to help her. I'm the Avatar. I should have gone into the Avatar state and taken them out." Aang said angrily.

Zuko stood up from his spot and glared at the younger boy.

" What good would that have done. I've seen what happens you when you go into the Avatar state. You nearly pass out almost every time and your four times as old now then you were then. What do you think would have happened to you if you had somehow triggered the Avatar state when you were three years old. It would have killed you and then what state would the world be in."

" It wouldn't have mattered." Aang yelled at him. " The world would probably be better off if they had found me that day."

Zuko looked at him in disbelief, " Do you really believe that? You know what would have probably happened. The Fire Lord would have ordered every airbender killed just to make sure you were really dead and then he would have gone after the Water Tribes, since they are next in the Avatar cycle."

Aang stared at him, a far off look in his eyes, as if he was just realizing what could have happened if he had been found that day. He knew Zuko was right, even now the Avatar state took a lot out of him physically, mentally and spiritually. If he had accidentally triggered the Avatar state when he was three he surely would have died, just from the sheer amount of power it took form him.

Aang, ignoring everything that had been talked about in the last few minutes, took a deep breath before continuing on with his explanation. " I was finally caught just a few days short of my fifth birthday, I think. Those two years tend to run together. I was caught stealing from a fruit vendor and the authorities took me in. Apparently they had a missing child's report on me from two years previous. I hadn't really changed much in appearance, besides my hair being longer and being a little dirtier."

Aang turned his back on Zuko and stared out at the waves rolling against the rocks below him.

" Since I was caught relatively close to where the Southern Air Temple is located it only took about three or four days for the monks to arrive. I tried to run away four times in the days before they arrived. I didn't want to go back. Every time I thought about it, all I could think about was my father telling me it was my fault that my mother died."

" What happened when they arrived?" asked Zuko.

" I was immediately taken back to the Air Temple. I was cleaned up and I had my head shaved. At first I hated it there. I just wanted to leave and never return. The other kids treated me like a freak, the monks thought of me as some common criminal. The only person who treated me like I was an actual person and not someone who didn't belong, was Monk Gyatso. Even after he started looking out for me, I still didn't like being there. I tried to runaway five times over the following year. I was quiet and never said anything to anyone. I think the monks thought I was a mute but I never asked them about if that was true. Then the days started not being so bad."

" What made them stop being so bad?" asked Zuko.

" Getting Appa. When Air Nomads are around six they are taken to the Eastern Air Temple to find a flying bison who will become their life long companion. Once I found Appa I didn't feel as alone as I did before. I started hanging around with the other kids and finally started talking to people."

" When I was ten I was allowed to go and visit my mothers grave. I sat next to the headstone for over an hour and cried. I released all of the hurt and sadness and anger I had harbored for years at her leaving and just cried."

Aang pulled something out of shirt and held it out for Zuko to take. It was a small, white, wooden carving of an animal. Zuko thought it looked like it could be a buffalo but he wasn't absolutely sure (A/N- I know he bought the whistle in Book 1 but work with me here.).

" Its a bison whistle." Zuko handed it back to him. " I use it when I need to call Appa to me when we need to get out of a tight spot. It was the trinket that my mother bought for me the day she died. I kept it wrapped up the whole time I was on the run and up until that day I visited my mothers grave"

" I'm alone Zuko. You, Toph, Suki, Sokka and Katara all have someone out there who loves you." Aang looked up into Zuko's gold eyes. " I have no one. No parents, no siblings no family at all.

Aang rubbed his thumb over the whistle, he could hear his mothers voice telling him she had bought something for him, her laugh when he agreed to wait until they returned to the Temple to open the gift. He could here his father laughing at something his mother said. Telling him he loved him as he tucked him into bed. He didn't realize he had started crying. Zuko watched as Aang broke down sobbing. He waited patiently for the younger boy to cry himself into exhaustion, knowing this was the best way for him to deal with his painful past. He didn't have to wait long. Five minutes later Aang collapsed, two days of not eating or sleeping finally catching up with him. Zuko caught him before he hit the ground and lowered him gently. Aang stared up at him with half lidded and dull eyes.

" I don't feel so good." Aang stated, rubbing his head as if he had a headache.

" You haven't eaten anything or slept in two days. And you've spent the past hour crying on and off." he stood and pulled Aang up with him. " Come on, lets go back to camp. You're going to bed tonight. Even if we all have to take turns watching over you to make sure you are actually sleeping."

Zuko led Aang slowly back to camp. The further they walked the more heavily Aang started leaning on Zuko for support. By the time they entered the campsite, Zuko was practically carrying him. Everyone had apparently decided to wait up until they returned and rushed over to them as soon as they entered their line of sight.

" Help me get him into his tent." Zuko directed his request to Sokka.

The two boys lifted the Aang up and carried him into his tent. Zuko allowed Sokka to get Aang dressed into his sleepwear. Zuko volunteered to stay up and make sure Aang got a good nights sleep. Katara had wanted to be the one to stay with him but Zuko argued that since she had been worrying about him all day she needed to rest. After everyone had settled down for the night he entered the tent.

Aang was curled up on his side underneath a sleeping bag. His face was streaked with dried tear stains and his eyes were slightly puffy and red.

Aang had apparently heard him enter and cracked his eyes open. " What are you doing here?" he asked.

Zuko gave him a small smile. " Making sure you actually sleep through the night. You can't afford to get sick right now. Not as close as we are to the comet."

Aang turned his eyes away from Zuko who realized he had hit a sore spot with the other boy.

" I understand Zuko. I need to be at my best to fight the Fire Lord. Like you said I can't afford to get sick right now." Aang gave him a false smile.

Zuko hung his head, knowing he had just messed up big time. " Aang that's not what I meant. If you got sick you would have everyone worrying about you. You have to take care of yourself Aang not just because you are the Avatar and important to the world but because you are important to Katara, Sokka, Toph and all of us."

Aang stared up at him with glassy eyes.

" Earlier you told me that you didn't have anyone who cares about and loves you but you know what you were wrong. You do have people who care about you and love you." Zuko made sure Aang was looking into his eyes before he continued on. " Katara, Sokka, Toph and Suki all love you. They all think of you as a brother. They will do anything to make sure that you are not alone in this fight."

" What about you?" Aang asked.

Zuko looked surprised. He knew that even after they had all insisted he go talk to Aang they still doubted his loyalties. He had believed that Aang had shared the same thoughts that everyone else shared even after he had shared his story with him earlier. Thinking over the events of the past few hours he realized how Aang had turned to him for comfort while reliving his darkest memory. He also realized that as the days passed he thought about Aang, less as a student he was teaching and more as a friend and if he really thought about it as almost as a brother.

" Until recently I just thought of you as my student. I've been hurt so much throughout my life that its hard for me to trust people, even those who are close to me, like my uncle. After what happened the Sun Warriors I realized that you had become not just my student but also my friend."

Aang looked up at him with a watery smile, " So I'm your friend now."

Zuko shook his head. " No not anymore. After everything you told me tonight I realized that we really aren't that different from each other. I realized we come from similar backgrounds." he noticed Aang's downcast eyes and quickly continued. " Aang what I'm trying to say is that I don't think of you as just a friend anymore but as a brother."

Aang sat up and looked at him in surprise.

" B…b… brother?" he stammered, surprise written clearly on his face.

" Yes Aang. Brothers. I figured that since you don't have any family and I barely have any that maybe we could be each others family." Zuko rubbed the back of his head suddenly uncomfortable. " If you don't want to I…I'll under… oomph!"

Zuko was cut off from finishing by two arms wrapping around his middle in a fierce hug.

" I would love to be your brother Zuko." Aang said.

Zuko hesitated for a second, not really believing that Aang agreed so quickly, then quickly wrapped his arms around the smaller boy and pulled him into a hug.

" Thank you Zuko." said Aang gratefully.

Zuko smiled down at him. " No problem little brother."

Aang pulled back, " Little?" he questioned.

Zuko smirked down at him. " Well you are younger then me. Not to mention shorter."

Aang glared up at him, grumbling about how that would change one day. He was still young enough, he would continue growing.

Zuko just continued smiling. Things might only be starting, the day of Sozin's Comet was coming closer and he would soon be helping Aang defeat his father. He looked down at the sleeping visage of Aang and knew that they would make it through this because they had each other. He would make sure Aang knew as much as he could about Firebending buy the summers end so he could defeat the Fire Lord.

Because that's what brothers do for there younger siblings. Watch out for them.


End file.
